Richard Di Natale (Victoria, Australian Greens) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I, and also on behalf of Senator Faruqi, move:

That the Senate—

(a) notes that:

  (i) between September and October 2018, more than 20 cases of advanced silicosis had been found in Queensland,

  (ii) by 26 November 2018, 53 young men, including 11 with progressive massive fibrosis, had been diagnosed with severe progressive silicosis following dust exposure from cutting artificial stone benchtops,

  (iii) it is highly likely that many more will soon be detected,

  (iv) at present, there is no known treatment that can arrest the progress of this disease,

  (v) previous attempts have been made to raise this issue with the Government, but they have not taken action on it,

  (vi) the majority of recommendations contained in the report of the Community Affairs References Committee into workplace exposure to toxic dust, received on 31 May 2006, have not been actioned, and

  (vii) the only effective action against silicosis is preventing exposure to silica dust; and

(b) calls on the Federal Government to:

  (i) fund an initiative to educate workers in at-risk occupations on the dust control measures used in their industry, including:

(A) independent monitoring of dust levels,

(B) training in the selection, maintenance and use of respirators, and

(C) use of measures to control airborne dust, including enforcing an immediate prohibition on dry-cutting techniques,

  (ii) conduct comprehensive enforcement of hazardous substances regulations related to silica dust exposure, and

  (iii) recognise the need for:

(A) qualified and competent occupational hygienists to be involved in the recognition, evaluation and control of silica exposures, and

(B) establishing a multi-disciplinary Institute of Occupational Health.

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute

Anne Ruston (SA, Liberal Party, Assistant Minister for International Development and the Pacific) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

The Minister for Jobs and Industrial Relations has written to all state and territory governments urging them to implement health screening programs in their jurisdictions for past and present workers in the engineered stone industry. In addition, Safe Work Australia has prioritised action to address the risks posed by dust exposure in the workplace, including in the engineered stone industry. This agency is developing strategies to raise awareness of the duties and control measures for minimising respiratory silica dust in the workplace. This includes strategies to raise awareness of control measures to eliminate and minimise risk from respiratory silica dust; prioritising occupational lung disease, including silicosis, in the Australian Work Health and Safety Strategy 2012-2022; and updating health monitoring guides for silica and developing campaigns to help educate those in the workplace.

Duncan Spender (NSW, Liberal Democratic Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I seek leave to make a short statement.

Scott Ryan (President) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

Leave is granted for one minute.

Duncan Spender (NSW, Liberal Democratic Party) Share this | Link to this | Hansard source

I'll be supporting this motion, but I just note that it calls on the federal government to be funding the education of workers on these dust related risks. This should be funded by employers.

Question agreed to.